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such assets, not only to assist
manned MPA but also to operate
independently. A prime example is
the U.S. Navy, which has acquired
Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton
UAVs to augment the P-8A in sur-
veillance and patrols.
Spain Picks Airbus

In December last year, Spain, which
was looking to replace the Spanish
P-3 Orion fleet that retired at the
end of 2022, ordered 16 Airbus
C295 aircraft in maritime patrol
and surveillance configurations for
€1.7 billion (U.S. $1.9 billion). Six
of the aircraft will be maritime patrol
variants that will be equipped for
anti-submarine and anti-surface ©Dassault Aviation S Rande
warfare missions. These aircraft,
which will have a magnetic anom-
aly detector and sonobuoys for initial logistics support package. according to Defence Minister
submarine detection; a multimode Bill Blair, decided to “acquire
radar for long-range target detec- The C295, which is capable of the only capability currently
tion; and satellite communications performing a wide variety of mis- available to us.” “In this case,
technology, will replace the Spanish sions such as parachute and cargo
Lockheed Martin-made P-3 Orion dropping, electronic signals intelli- there is an aircraft in use that
fleet that retired at the end of 2022. gence (ELINT), medical evacuation is available and currently in
The aircraft will also be able to carry (MEDEVAC), and maritime patrol, production and on the other
armaments such as torpedoes and has been a hit internationally with side, we had the concept,”
other weapon systems. The armed Airbus receiving more than 280 added Industry Minister François-
maritime patrol version can oper- orders and delivering more than Philippe Champagne.
ate for two and a half hours up to a 215.
distance of 800 nautical miles from
takeoff, and six and a half hours at P-8A Poseidon in Demand One of the factors that tilted the
a distance of 400 nautical miles. Boeing notched up a big win late scales in favor of Boeing is that
last year as well with Canada and the P-8A is operated by, or in
The remaining 10 C295 aircraft the United States signing a sole production for, the other Five Eyes
for the Spanish Air Force will be source deal for up to 16 Boeing partners (Australia, New Zealand,
in the maritime surveillance con- P-8A Poseidon aircraft and related the United Kingdom, and the United
figuration and will replace Spain’s equipment for US$$5.9 billion. States). It has also been acquired
aging CN-235 fleet, which entered The P-8, a purpose-built military by India, Norway, Germany, and
operations in 1988. These planes variant of the Boeing 737 Next South Korea, and shares 86
will be equipped for anti-smuggling, Generation commercial airliner, percent commonality with the com-
anti-illegal migration, and anti- is designed to track and detect mercial 737NG aircraft. Deliveries
drug trafficking operations, as well enemy ships and submarines using of the aircraft will begin shortly and
as search and rescue missions. a suite of advanced electro-optical are expected to be completed by
The first C295 in the maritime and acoustic sensors, radar and autumn 2027. Full operational capa-
patrol configuration is scheduled equipment such as sonobuoys. The bility is anticipated by 2033. Canada
for delivery in 2027 while the first aircraft will replace Canada’s aging will procure 14 of the 16 P-8As and
surveillance configuration will follow fleet of CP-140 Aurora aircraft. keep the option open to buy two
the year after. The delivery of the more. The country’s decision is a
final aircraft is expected in 2031. Canada’s Bombardier also had an shot in the arm for Boeing which
According to Airbus, the contract eye on the contract and had pitched had hinted at the potential closure
includes training systems, such as the missionized version of its Global of the P-8 production line sometime
a full flight simulator, as well as an 6500 jet, but the government, during this decade if the orders

36 | JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2024 WWW.GBP.COM.SG/ADT